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UNTTEE STATES PATENT @FMCEO ELIJAH J. DEVENS, OF COLDWVATER, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT F. CHANDLER. OF SAME PLACE.

FANNlNG-MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,975, dated May 3, 1881.

Application filed February 17, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH J. DEVENS, of Goldwater, county of Branch, State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Fanning-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of fanning-mills, whereby the mill is rendered more effective in its operation than when the screens are constructed, arranged, and operated in the ordinary manner.

The invention consists, first, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts whereby a longitudinal shake is imparted to the lower screen of the upper shoe independentof its movement laterally; and, second, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and various combinations of the parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is atop plan. Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents a suitable frame and case,within and upon which are arranged the operating parts of the mill.

B represents the upper shoe, which is suspended within the case by means of the straps 0 a b, in the usual manner, and is adapted to receive two screens, 2 3, in addition to the-usual chaff-screen, (numbered 1.)

0 represents the fan-case, within which is properly journaled the fan D, the shaft 0 of 5 which projects beyond the sides of the case and finds bearings in proper boxes secured to the frame. Upon one end of this shaft 0 is secured a disk, d, carrying a wrist-pin, e. A shake-rod, E, is pivotally secured to this wrist- 0 pin 6, and the opposite end is secured to one arm of a bell-crank lever, I, which is pivotally secured to the frame, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. To the other arm of this bell-crank lever is attached a link, t, the inner end of 4 5 which is secured to the side of the shoe B. By this construction and arrangement of parts, as the fan is rotated, a lateral shaking or vibrating movement is imparted to the shoe.

G represents the lower shoe, the rear end of which rests upon brackets h, secured to the inner wall of the case, and the forward end rests upon friction-rollers k. This shoe projects beyond the front end of the case, as shown, and is adapted to receive the screens 4 5 6 7, (No. 5 being what is ordinarily called a double screen.)

H H are connecting-rods, the rear ends of which are secured to the shoe Gr, while the forward ends are pivotally connected to the wrist-pins c 1 upon the disk (I, and pinion m upon opposite ends of the fan-shaft, the pinion m meshing with a large gear-wheel,1, properly journaled to the side of the frame, and this heel l is provided with a crank-handle, by means of which the mill is operated. The rear ends of the rods H H are bent downward, as shown, and rest within guide-brackets a, and as the fan-shaft is rotated the curved ends of the rods rise and fall on said brackets, as indicated by dotted lines, and commn- 7o nicate a longitudinal vertical jarring movement to the shoe G. To one of the rods H is properly secured one end of the link J, which .passes through an opening in the side of the case, and is secured at its inner end to the screen 3 of the upper shoe, so that as the machine is operated a longitudinal reciprocating motion is imparted to said screen independent of the lateral movement of the shoe, hereinbefore described. The front end of the shoe G is provided with spouts S, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, and the upper shoe, B, is provided with the side discharge-sponts,14 and 15,while the hopper L is provided with a gate, M, by means of which the throat of the hopper is enlarged or diminished, as circumstances may require,

to regulate the feed of grain to the mill. The upper inner end of the shoe B is provided with a spreader, N, which lies directly under the throat of the hopper. This spreader is made 0 with a curved beveled edge, for more effectually spreading the grain.

The operation of this mill is as follows, first premisin g that the screens have been properly graded The grain to be operated upon, which 9 5 oftentimes consists of wheat, barley, rye, grassseed, redtop, 850., is placed in the hopper, the throat having been regulated to the desired feed. The fan is then rotated, giving motion to the various parts of the mill, as described.

The grain falling upon the spreader-board is, in the vibration of the shoe, spread evenly upon the upper part of the chess-screen, the wind blowing all chaff and light stuff out at tail of mill, while the grain falls through the chaffsereen upon the chess-board O, which delivers it to the screen 2. This screen separates the coarser grain from the smaller, delivering the former into spout 14, which discharges outside of mill. The grain which falls through the screen 2 upon the screen 3 is additionally agitated by the movement of the screen, and delivers its grain into spout 15, which delivers outside of mill, on opposite side from spout 14. Up to this point I have separated the coarser grain and chafl' from the main portion of the grain, which latter is delivered to the upper screen. The grain which passes over the screen 4 is, in cleaning; wheat, what is usually denominated seed-wheat, and is delivered out of spout S at head of mill. The grain which passes through to screen 5 is separated, the merchantable wheat being discharged through spout 9, while the cockle, chess, &c., pass through to and upon the lower screen of 5, which separates the grain and grass-seed from the cookie, &c.,which latter is delivered through spout 10 upon the floor. The small seedspass through to and upon screen 6, which discharges through spout 11, the unseparated seeds pass on to screen 7, which delivers its seed through spout 12 into a box, I orother receptacle below the mill, while the seeds which pass through screen 7 fall upon the grain-board or bottom of the shoe G, which delivers it into box It through spout 13.

By the use of this mill in the cleaning or separating of mixed grain it will be found that I can and do etlectually separate and deliver at difl'erent points eight different kinds or qualities of grain; and the fan, being situated near the top of the mill, exerts its main force upon the grain before it passes to the lower screens, blowing the chafi and light stuff out at the tail of the mill.

It has been demonstrated by practical use of this mill that it will effectually separate rye from wheat and grade eat and corn meal and these facts, together with the fact that none of the screens have to be removed from the mill and othersinserted before it can be used for different kinds of work, place it farin advance of any of the mills ot'a similar character now upon the market.

What I claim as my invention is-- 1. In a fanning-mill, the shoe 13, having a lateral movement, and the screen 3, having an independent longitudinal movement, in combination with the operating-arm J, rigidly connected to the rod H, and working through a slot in the side of the shoe, to produce said independent longitudinalmovement oi the screen, substantially as described.

2. In a fanning-mill, the uppershoe, B, pro vided with a spreader-board, N, both the shoe and the spreader having a lateral movement, in combination with the screen 3, having an independent longitudinal reciprocating move ment, for the purpose of spreading and separating the grain before it passes to the screens next in succession, substantially as specified.

3. In a fanning-mill, the rod 11, forgiving a longitudinal reciprocating movement to the lower shoe, G, and provided with an arm, J, for giving a similar movement to the screen 3 in the upper shoe, in combination with the rod '13 and the bell-crank F, for giving a lateral movement to the upper shoe, both rods l-I El and E being connected to and operated by the wrist-pin a, substantially as described.

ELIJAH J. DEVENS. itnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, OHAs. J. HUNT. 

